The Raptors have won nine straight meetings with the Lakers, but Toronto will be challenged to continue that streak Sunday in LA. The Raps, who lost Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka to injury on Friday, are double-digit dogs against a Lakers squad that has won seven straight.
- Toronto Raptors at Los Angeles Lakers (Matchup Report)
- Date/Time: Sunday, November 10, 9:30 PM ET
- TV Coverage: Spectrum SportsNet
- Sportsbook Odds: Lakers -11 | O/U 216.5 (Line History)
Sportsbook Odds Analysis
Toronto’s been favored in eight of the last nine meetings, but the Lakers’ strong start and the Raptors’ injury situation caused oddsmakers to open LA as 11-point chalk. Early money has come on the Raptors and the UNDER, moving them down to +10 and 215, respectively, by Saturday night.
Toronto News & Notes
As if losing Kawhi Leonard during the off-season wasn’t bad enough, the defending NBA champions might need to navigate the next few weeks without two other key cogs of last year’s squad. Point guard Kyle Lowry and big man Serge Ibaka both suffered serious injuries Friday in a 122-104 win over New Orleans, with Lowry breaking his thumb and Ibaka spraining his ankle. Making those injuries tougher to swallow for Toronto is that both players were off to great starts to the season. Lowry was averaging nearly 22 points per game and shooting 42.6% from three, while Ibaka was averaging 14 points in less than 23 minutes per contest.
The bench was one of Toronto’s strengths last year, however, and the Raptors scored 45 second-quarter points against the Pelicans after Lowry was injured. Pascal Siakam poured in 44 points to tie a career high, and OG Anunoby — who missed last year’s playoffs with injury — added 21 points. Norman Powell, one of several players who should see his minutes increase due to Lowry and Ibaka’s injuries, chipped in with 18 off the bench.
Los Angeles News & Notes
Whether it’s the Frank Vogel effect or better defensive effort from a rejuvenated LeBron James, the Lakers are locking opponents down so far this year. Since Sportsbook the season with a 112-102 loss to the Clippers, LA has limited four of seven opponents to 96 points or less. That’s keyed a seven-game winning streak in which the Lakers are 6-1 ATS, and five of those victories came by at least nine points. On the year, the Lakers are third in the NBA in points allowed per game, field goal percentage allowed and three-point percentage allowed.
Offensively, the Lakers are no slouch either, shooting the ball from the field at the second-highest clip in the Association. LeBron and Anthony Davis have formed the two-headed monster that many anticipated they would be, with both averaging 26 points per outing. James posted three consecutive triple-doubles prior to Friday’s 95-80 win over Miami, and he’s earning rave reviews for his defensive effort as well.
Betting Pick: Raptors +10
The Raptors’ depth is being tested with the injuries to Lowry and Ibaka, but I still think they’ve got enough to stay inside this inflated number.
- The OVER is 8-2 in Toronto’s last 10 games against a team with a winning record.
- Los Angeles is 6-1 ATS in its last seven games.
- The Raptors are 9-0 SU in their last nine games against Los Angeles.
